A LAST ditch attempt to save a historic town centre pub by getting it listed has failed, but campaigners have vowed to fight on.

English Heritage inspectors refused to register Ye Boars Head saying it is "not of significant archaeological or historical interest".

A team of inspectors, who visited the derelict Friar Street pub two weeks ago, filed a report to the Government concluding that most of its 16th Century structure had been replaced over the past 200 years.

Reading Borough Council is now free to approve an application to demolish the 300-year-old coaching inn and the neighbouring ABC Cinema and replace them with two hotels and a block of flats.

But Ted Bell, of Reading Civic Society, said opponents of the scheme would now campaign to save the façade of both Ye Boars Head and the ABC cinema to stop Friar Street's familiar red brick look from being destroyed.

He said: "It is not too late for local initiatives to save it.

"We want to preserve the façades. They are part of Reading's history - and we keep losing bits of Reading's history.

"It may be the case that these buildings cannot be preserved but wouldn't it be a shame to put something modern alongside those lovely red brick buildings in Friar Street. We must do all we can to keep at least some of their history."

Mr Bell added that English Heritage's refusal to list the pub had not come as a surprise to him.

He said: "I personally thought we had about a fifty-fifty chance of getting it listed.

"We accept that English Heritage are comparing Ye Boars Head with other buildings and from their point of view it is not worth listing but from ours it is worth saving."

The pub failed to qualify for listed building status in 1993 for similar reasons. It was closed two years ago and has recently become a haunt for drug users and petty criminals.

Applicant London and Continental Investments has submitted slightly down scaled plans to the council in an effort to prevent the proposed hotel and office buildings from dominating the street.

The plans will be put to Reading Borough Council's planning applications committee on Wednesday next week.

The Evening Post has made an appeal to save the boar's head sign which is mounted above the door of the pub and it is prepared to offer it a good home.